5. Hannah and Her Sisters
Woody Allen arguably invented the modern romantic comedy with Annie Hall. But, my favorite film of his has to be the 1986 feature, Hannah and Her Sisters. The film deals with three concurrent storylines, center on three sisters. Taken place over two years, Allen reflects upon a family going through marital woes and infidelity. Like life itself, the film is taken through a series of vignettes and flashback, like a formulated memory, in order to tell the big picture. It is infused with passion, agony that resonates if you have ever been in a relationship before. All three sisters are stuck in rut, emotionally, hanging on their spouse or relationships as crutches. Mickey, played by Woody Allen, is the typical neurotic role but as Hannahs ex-husband, the character shines as the central theme of the film that fuses the big city modernity of always having to be on the go with stopping to find meaning in life and in love. Allen has always been a romantic but also knows the truth behind relationship which is probably from his constant pondering of it. Nobody is treated as scum even if they commit sinful deeds like infidelity because that is the shameful nature of being humans. And it ok if we find both laughter in tragedy in it.